Maybe if GM and other American auto manufacturers had not spent so much time and money designing, building, and than marketing gas guzzling bohemiths, and instead concentrated efforts on designing fuel efficient cars (not trucks or SUV’s) they wouldn’t be losing so much money right now. They would not be asking for a $25 billion bailout from the U.S. federal government.
The American auto industry is in trouble right now because they build expensive products that people don’t want. Supporters of a government bailout for the American auto industry argue that if there isn’t a bailout, GM, Ford, and Chrysler will declare bankruptcy. So what? Isn’t that that the way it’s supposed to work? Poorly run companies declare bankruptcy every day. Why should the American auto industry be any different?
Why should someone who drives a Toyota Prius or a Honda Civic Hybrid have his or her tax dollars go to GM, Ford, and Chrysler?
Patrick
/ November 16, 2008In the case of the auto-makers’ bailout, it’s a relief to have a national issue that is so straightforward: American cars tend to break down and fall apart therefore people are not buying them. If GM and Ford don’t want to go out of business, they should start making decent cars. To bail them out would be to reward their terrible manufacturing standards.
Ben
/ November 19, 2008Absolutely…Let them die.
They have made bad cars and bad choices for so long that they can’t be fixed. If they go bust, then they can be bought out, inefficient people and products and processes can be thrown out, the union welfare state will be busted, and then new people with new ideas can be brought in to maybe resurrect new car companies from the debris. Then they might make cars that make sense in this economically, energy, and environmentally challenged world we find ourselves in. Salaries for executives of any auto company should be based on sales and market share. Poor performance will lead to low pay, or no pay. It’s what they deserve.